The Next of Kin
by carzyfan
Summary: This takes place starting at season 4 because it's when it gets good. Sara Winchester is Sam and Dean's sister, she was born almost a year after Dean. She quickly becomes a powerful psychic, and now that her older brother is dead she drifts away from Sam and Bobby but one phone call can make all the difference. Rating may change. Like/Follow for more chapters!
1. Dean's back

Chapter 1

Who are you?

"Hello?" Sara answered her phone, getting into her car.

"Sara?" the voice was familiar. Goosebumps on her voice, she dropped the keys on her lap.

"Who is this?" Sara snapped.

"It's me." The voice came on again.

"This isn't funny, _who's_ ME?" she yelled in the phone, whoever or whatever wanted to mess around with her they would be sadly mistaken.

"Dean."

Sara nearly dropped the phone but made out, "yeah, right, if this really is Dean, what was the first monster I killed on a solo hunt?"

The other line paused then said, "Ghoul."

"First fake name I used for the FBI?"

"Emily Heckol." The voice answered quickly.

"Alright, _Dean_ , where are you?" She said after pausing to think for a while.

"Um, a gas station near where you buried me."

"Got it." she ended the phone call and started the engine. She sped toward where Dean was buried.

* * *

Sara got out of the car, silver knife in hand. She slowly entered the gas station, where Dean was waiting for her.

"Sara." he said as she neared, "Sara!" She quickly pinned Dean down, "Sara, it's me Dean!"

"Yeah, right." she raised the knife as he threw her off.

"Wait! Your full name is Sara Mary Winchester. You're probably the bad-ass of the family and you used to bite your cheek when you got nervous on a hunt." Sara slowly lowered the knife, not truly convinced he was her brother. Dean sighed then grabbed the knife from her hand, Sara recoiled expecting him to try and kill her. Instead he rolled up his sleeve. "I am not a Shapeshifter."

"Then you're a revenant."

"All right, if I was either, could I do this with a silver knife?" he said before cutting his upper arm with the knife in his hand, the blade did nothing, no sizzling flesh, no tell-tale sign he was a monster.

"Dean?"

"That's what I've been trying tell you." he said as she brought him into a tight hug. "God, you've gotten strong."

The small TV next to the counter turned on, static on the screen. After a second Sara turned to her brother, "Do hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Him." she cocked her head as if listening to something. "Castiel."

"Sara, you feeling okay?"

The TV turned off and Sara shook her head. "We need to talk. Hopefully somewhere less murdery." Sara kicked a rusty shelf, moving out of her as she made her way to the car.

* * *

"How did you bust out?" Sara said, taking out a flask and slowly screwing the tap off.

"I don't know. I just-I just woke up in a pine b-" Dean closed his eyes as she doused him with holy water. "I'm not a demon either, you know."  
"Sorry. Can't be too careful." Sara said sheepishly as she handed him a hand towel. "That doesn't make any sense."  
"Yeah."  
"Dean, your chest was ribbons. Your insides were slop.' Sara said with a shiver. "And you've been buried four months. If you could slip out of hell and back in your body-"

"I know, I should look like a "Thriller" video reject." Dean said, throwing the towel at his sister.  
"What do you remember?"

"Not much. I remember I was a Hellhound's chew toy. And then lights out." He paused for a second. "Then I come to 6 feet under. That was it." He flipped open the phone Sara gave him, "Sam's number's not working."  
"It's not? Oh, he's alive, as far as I know." Reading the look on Dean's face.  
"Good. What do you mean, as far as you know?"

"I haven't talked to him for months."  
\- You just let him go off by himself? -

"He wasn't going to let me come with."  
"You should have been looking after him." he said, angrily.  
Sara raised her hands, "I tried. The last months haven't been easy, you know. For him or me. We had to bury you."  
"Why did you bury me, anyway?"

"I wanted you salted and burned. Usual drill, but Sam wouldn't have it."  
"I'm glad he won that one." He muttered.  
"He said you'd need a body when he got you back home somehow. That's about all he said."  
"What do you mean?"

"He was quiet. Almost as quiet you were when dad died. Then he just took off. Wouldn't return my calls. I tried to find him, but he doesn't want be found."  
"Damn it, Sammy." He muttered, putting one and one together.  
"What?"

"Oh, he got me home okay. But whatever he did, it is bad mojo."  
"What makes you sure?"

"You should've seen the grave. It was like a nuke went off."  
"Then there was this-This force, this presence, I don't know." Sara said, "it wasn't a demon nor anything we've encountered before. It felt like it was… light." Sara threw up her hands as Dean looked at her like she was crazy.  
"And then this." Dean pulled up his shirt, revealing a bright red hand print that seemed to be burned into his flesh.  
"What in the hell is that?" Sara said, gently touching it.

"It was like a demon just yanked me out. Or rode me out."  
"But why?"

"To hold up their end of the bargain."  
"You think Sam made a deal?" Sara said, worry for her younger brother visibly showing on her face.

"That's what I would have done." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yeah, hi, I have a cell phone account with you guys and I lost my phone. I was wondering if you could turn the GPS on for me." Someone started to talk on the other side, "Yeah, the name's Wedge Antilles. Uh, social is 2474. Okay, yeah, thank you."  
"How'd you know he'd use that name?"

"You kidding me? What don't I know about that kid? Where's the beer?" Dean said, ransacking the mini-fridge.

"If you remember it was you and Sam who drank."  
"Right." he said, opening the computer and quickly typing in some information. "Sam's in Pontiac, Illinois." he said after a second.  
"Right near where you were buried."  
"Right where I popped up."  
"A coincidence, don't you think?"

* * *

A woman opened the door to the hotel room, "So where is it?"

"Where's what?" Sara said as Dean and her looked at each other.

"The pizza that takes two people to deliver?"

"I think we got the wrong room." Dean said as Sara rolled her eyes.

She pushed into the room as she said, "Hey, Sammy."  
"Who are you?" Sam said, pushing Dean against the wall.

"Like you didn't do this?" Dean said, shoving his brother off.

"Do what?" Sam said confused as he grabbed a knife from his bag on the floor.

"It's him, Sam." Sara pushed her brother off Dean.  
"It's him." Sara rolled her eyes. "I've been through this already. It's really him."  
"What?" He said, taking his eyes off Dean and staring at Sara.

"I know." Dean gave them a twirl, showing off his body. "I look fantastic, huh?" Sam brought him in a surprise hug.

"So are you two, like, together?" the woman said, pointing at Dean then to Sam.

"What?" Sara started laughing.

"No." Dean and Sam said, both glaring at their sister.  
"He's my brother." Sam explained, turning to the woman.  
"O- oh Got it, I guess. Look, I should probably go." the woman said, turning towards the door and walking quickly through it.  
"Yeah, yeah. That's probably a good idea. Sorry."  
"So call me."  
"Yeah, yeah. Sure thing, Kathy."  
"Chrissy."  
"Right." the woman slammed the door, leaving the siblings alone to their reunion.  
"So tell me, what'd it cost?"

"The girl? Heh." Sara chuckled.  
"I don't pay, Dean." Sam said glaring at his siblings.  
"That's not funny, Sam." Sam looked puzzled "To bring me back. What'd it cost? Was it just your soul, or something worse?"

"You think I made a deal?"

"That's what we think."  
"Well, I didn't."  
"Don't lie to me, Sammy." Dean snarled.  
"I'm not lying."

Sara looked up, and backed out of the room, "Guys, I-I-I gotta go, I'll be right back." neither looked up at her instead they kept bickering.  
"So, what, now I'm off the hook and you're on, is that it? You're some demon's bitch boy? I didn't wanna be saved like this."  
"Look, Dean, I wish I had done it, all right?"

"There's no other way this could have gone. Tell the truth.  
I tried everything. That's the truth. Opening the Devil's Gate hell, I tried to bargain, Dean, but no demon would deal, all right? You were rotting in hell for months. For months, and I couldn't stop it. So I'm sorry. It wasn't me, all right? Dean, I'm sorry.  
"It's okay, Sammy." Dean sighed, starting to have a headache. "You don't have to apologize. I believe you. Don't get me wrong, I am gladdened that your soul remains intact but it does raise a sticky question. If you didn't pull me out then what did? So, what were you doing here if you weren't digging me out of my grave?"

" Well, once I figured out I couldn't save you I started hunting down Lilith, trying to get some payback."  
"All by yourself?"

"Yeah, Sara had better things to do. Anyways, I was tracking these demons out in Tennessee and out of nowhere, they took a left, booked up here."  
"When?"

"Yesterday morning."  
"When I busted out."  
"You think these demons are here because of you? But why? Why now?"

Dean shrugged, taking a sip of beer. "I don't know. But some badass demon drags me out, now this? It's gotta be connected somehow."  
"How you feeling, anyway?" Sam saiding after a while.

"I'm a little hungry."  
"You probably want this back." Sam said, taking off a necklace, it was Dean's.  
"Thanks."  
"Yeah, don't mention it."

* * *

"Hey, Dean, what was it like?"

"What, hell? I don't know. I must have blacked it out. I don't remember a damn thing."  
"Thank God for that." Sam said as they both took a swig of beer.  
"Yeah."  
"Guys we have to go." Sara said as she slammed the hotel door closed. Her eyes flashed with something, she was panted and she looked worried.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Just trust me. We need to, at least me and Dean." Sara said grabbing her bag by her bed.  
The two men glanced at each other then shrugged, when was their sister wrong? "I assume you'll wanna drive." Sam said as they neared Dean's old car.  
"I almost forgot." Dean grinned as he opened the door. "Hey, sweetheart, you miss me? Oh." He sat down and wiped his hand on the radio and other various car parts until his eyes landed on a iPod. "What the hell is that?"

"That's an iPod jack."  
"You were supposed to take care of her not douche her up."  
"Dean, I thought it was my car." he said as Dean threw the iPod out the window.

After a while of silence and a few tries form Sara it start a conversion, Dean finally opened his mouth. "Really? There's still one thing that's bothering me."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, the night that I bit it. Or got bit. How'd you make it out? Lilith was gonna kill you."  
"She tried. She couldn't."  
"What do you mean, she couldn't?"

"She fired this, like, burning light at me. And it didn't leave a scratch. Like I was immune or something."  
"Immune?" Dean said, glancing at her sister.

"Yeah. Heh. I don't know who was more surprised, her or me. She left pretty fast after that."  
"Huh. What about Ruby? Where's she?"

"Dead, or in hell." Sam shrugged as Sara's eyes narrowed at him from the back seat.  
"You've been using your freaky ESP stuff?"

"No."  
"You so sure about that?" Sara said moving her head to the side.

"Yeah, now that you've got immunity, whatever the hell that is just wondering what other weirdo crap you got."  
"Nothing, guys. You didn't want me to go down that road, so I didn't go. It was practically your dying wish, Dean.  
"Yeah, well, let's keep it that way." Dean said glancing back at Sara who was rolling her eyes. _You can't lie to a psychic_ , he remembered her saying a year ago.

* * *

"So?"

"I don't understand, this is where he said he would be. Maybe he needed more time to find a vessel." Sara shook her head.

"Still no clue what we're dealing with."  
"That's not entirely true."  
\- No?

"We got a name. Castiel."  
"With the right mumbo jumbo, you can summon him." Dean said staring at her sister.  
"You're crazy." Dean didn't back down, "Absolutely not."  
"We'll work him over."  
"You can't be serious." Sara said, sighing.  
"As a heart attack."  
"We don't know what it is."  
"It could be a demon, it could be anything."  
"So then we gotta be ready for anything."

"It's not a demon." Sara said, shaking her head.

* * *

"This is a bad idea."  
"Couldn't agree more, but what other choice do we have?" Dean said, looking at Sara.

"We could choose life." Sara sighed before starting to summon Castiel.

"You sure you did the ritual right?" Dean said. Sara glanced up at him a death stare directed at him. "Sorry. Touchy, touchy." he said as the whole building started to shake, the roof slamming up and down. "Wishful thinking, but maybe it's just the wind."

The doors broke open and a man dressed in a trench coat and suit stepped in, his tie was loose and as Dean and Sam raised their guns, aiming as Sara stepped in front of them.  
"Who are you?" Dean called as the man neared.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."  
"Yeah, thanks for that." he said.  
"We need to talk, Dean. Alone." Castiel said as he tapped Sam's forehead, he fell to the ground, unconscious. He moved toward Sara then stopped, his hand dropping to his side. He looked at her for a second longer than comfortable and Sara moved away from him.  
"Your brother is alive." he said as Sara checked her brother's pulse.  
"Who are you?" Dean said, glaring at the man.

"Castiel."  
"Yeah, I figured that much. I mean, what are you?"

"I'm an angel of the Lord."  
"Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing."  
"This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."  
"Some angel you are." Dean muttered, looking at his unconscious brother.  
"My real voice can be overwhelming to some humans, most cannot even hear me."

"You mean the gas station and the motel? That was you talking?" Sara asked as he nodded.

"Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage. Like you, Sara. I thought you would be one of them. I was correct." Sara nodded to him, for some reason she trusted the man.  
"And what visage are you in now, huh? What, holy tax accountant?" Dean said, not as trusting as his younger sister.

"This? This is a vessel." Castiel tugged on his trench coat.  
"You're possessing some poor bastard?"

"He's a devout man. He actually prayed for this."  
"Look, pal, I'm not buying what you're selling."  
"So who are you, really?" Sara calmly said.

"I told you."  
"Right." Sara drew closer to the supposed angel.  
"And why would an angel rescue me from hell?" Dean said, his eyes even with the angel's.

"Good things do happen, Dean."  
"Not in our experience."  
"What's the matter?" His eyes calmly bored into Dean, "You don't think you deserve to be saved?"

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you. And Sara, you too."

"I don't like being bossed around." Sara said, catching Castiel's arm as he turned to leave. She gasped when she saw his true form, he truly was an angel, his wings were speckled with brown and black, white feathers, perfectly imperfect. They contrasted against his eyes, a light blue. His hair was golden-brown, curly and slightly longer than what was normal. She let go. "Who are you?" She whispered as he left, feathers rustling as he disappeared.


	2. Who's there? God? Ha

Chapter 2

Who's out there? God? Ha.

"What was that thing?" Dean said as they waited in the hotel for Sam to wake up. "Tell me what it could have been."

"An angel." she groaned as she saw Dean's look of disbelief.

"All I know is I was groped not by an angel."

"He wasn't lying." Sara said, lifting her head to glare at her brother.

"Maybe he's some new demon like yellow-eyes?"

"I can sense if demons lie, Dean. I can."

"Don't you think that if angels were real, some hunter somewhere would have seen one, at some point, ever?"

"Yeah, Dean. You did and me and Sam."

"Try to come up with a theory, okay?"

"Dean, we have a theory."

"What about one with less fairy dust?"

"Dean-" Sara groaned, her head tilting back as she stared at the ceiling, god, maybe it was time to start to drink.

"I'm not gonna believe this thing is an angel of the Lord because it says so." Dean could be very stubborn at times, this being one of them.

"Look at this." Sara pushed an old book to him, it was open to a page depicting an angel grabbing a person from the flames of hell. "The only thing with enough mojo to snatch a soul from the Pit is an angel."

"A demon could do it."

"Really? Still?" she rolled her eyes at him. "Dean, I saw it's true form, it wasn't dark and twisted like a demon but it… all I'm saying that it had wings and looked very much like an angel, down to the white and gold toga." Sara reached for the unopened beer in his hand. She open it and took a sip. "Dean, this is good news."

"How?" he said, swiping the beer away from her.

"Because for once this isn't just another round of demon crap. Maybe you were saved by one of the good guys."  
"Okay. Say it's true. Say there are angels. Then what? There's a God?" he said before chugging the beer.

"At this point, Vegas money's on 'yeah.'"

"Okay, look. I know you're not all choir boy about this stuff. But this is becoming less about faith and more and more about proof."  
"Proof?"

"Yes. Proof that there's a God out there that gives a crap about me personally?" Sara shrugged, even she had a hard time understanding it. "I'm sorry but I'm not buying it."  
"Okay," Sara said, changing the subject, "why did he say that you didn't want to be saved?"

"Because why me? If there is a God out there, why would he give a crap about me? After all this time? Sure, I've saved some people. I figure that made up for the stealing and the ditching chicks. But why do I deserve to get saved? I'm just a regular guy. What about someone else?"  
"Apparently, you're a regular guy that's important to the man upstairs. They have work for us. Whatever that entails." Sara recalled what he said before disappearing.  
"Well, that creeps me out. I don't like getting singled out at birthday parties, much less by God."  
"Okay, well, too bad, Dean because I think he wants you to strap on your party hat." Sam said, lifting his hand to his forehead. He slowly got up, "Why did he knock me out but not you guys. That's just unfair."

"You've had nearly 2 days of sleep more than us. That's unfair."  
"What do we know about angels?"

"Start reading." Sara grinned, fishing out a flash drive filled with old books.  
"You're gonna get me some pie." he said, pointing a finger at Sam.

* * *

"So, what did you find?" Dean said, munching on the meal Sam had brought him.

"Well, summed up in a simple sentence, they smite first, and then ask questions later. They dealt out tons of damage, most of the stories involving someone getting completely kicked in the ass. Other than that, not much." Sara yawned, three days of research brought them no step closer to finding any more information than before.

"So no weaknesses?" that comment earned Dean a glare. "Touchy."  
"Dean, lets go." Sam said, walking in, both looked up.

"Why, what's happening?"

"I got a friend, one state over. Olivia Lowry. Trying to reach her for the past three days on this angel thing. Not like her to ignore calls."

"Okay, well I'm just going to stay here then. Researching up on angels." Sara called after the two men as they grabbed their jackets and left. "Perfect just like old times." she muttered then sighed.

* * *

 _Flashback_

" _Dean? Come take a look at this." Sarah said as she entered a back room to the arcade._

" _What in the hell…" he said as he walked in, hugging the wall, he turned around as something went squish behind him._

 _The entire room was covered in blood. A light flickered as Sam walked in. he took one look and bent over puking. "Jesus christ. What happened?" He said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve._

 _Sara closed her eyes and her forehead wrinkled. Her eyes snapped open. "Nothing good." she said picking her way into the middle of the room. Her eyes were fixed on a jacket. She picked it up, trying not to get her hands covered in blood but failing. She fumbled with it for a second before withdrawing a blood-covered wallet. She dropped the jacket in disgust and threw the wallet to Dean._

 _Dean opened it and pulled out a driver's license, a picture fell out with it, two kids smiling as, what could assume as their mother, kissed their foreheads. Sara grimaced, whoever was this new coat of paint had a family and the family was probably out looking for him as they spoke "Well, let's pay the Scalas a visit." Dean said, his voice grim. He picked up the photo and tucked it back into the wallet._

* * *

"Sam, so glad you could call me." Bobby's sarcastic voice caused Sam to wince, "listen, someone or something been trying to call me, they keep saying they're Dean."

"Yeah…" Sam scratched his head, realizing no one had called him to inform him that Dean was back from the dead. "About that… Dean's back."

"What!" Sam moved the phone from his ear as the father-like companion yelled at him. After a while the other line quieted and sam moved it back to his ear. "Idjits." he muttered. "Letta' me guess… you're calling me about the spirit activity."

"Yeah, howa' know?" Sam said. Looking at Dean as they drove as fast as they could to Bobby's house.

"Not the first time a ghost has tried to kill me."  
"I've never seen a ghost do this to a person." Bobby coughed on the other side. "Bobby, you all right?"

"Fine, the ghost got a scratch in." Bobby was probably was more hurt then he let on but he wasn't going to say it. "I called some hunters nearby." Bobby said, shuffling was heard and then a squeak of a mattress.  
"We could use the help." Sam admitted. He glanced back at Sara, who was knocked unconscious from a ghost. She hadn't woken up since they had barely saved her in time.  
"Except they ain't answering their phones."

"Great… ghosts on steroids looking to wipe out hunters." Sam said, sighing "Something's up, huh?"

"Ya think?" was Bobby's response.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Dean knocked on the door, dressed up in his FDI suit. Sara was behind him and Sam was in the car, not yet having recovered from the arcade. A door opened, revealing a 5 year old girl in pigtails, Sara recognized her from the photo. Her heart panged but her face was kept neutral._

" _Hello" Sara said, a small smile on her face. "Are your parents around?"_

" _My mommy's in the kitchen." the little girl turned around and called "Mommy! Some people are here!"_

 _The woman from the picture came into their view. "Emma! What have I could you about opening the door for people." she scolded the child but her eyes looked at 'Emma' with could only be described as motherly love. She shooed the small girl away and turned to the Winchesters. "Sorry about that, kids these days. I'm Judy." she smiled at Sara then frowned slightly at Dean._

" _It's no problem. I'm special agent Hambly and Eaves. May we come in?"_

" _Jamie left for work as usual last week but then around lunchtime he called me and told me to get the kids from school and then he hung up. He hasn't been home since." Judy frowned slightly at the memory as she handed them both a glass of water._

" _Did he tell you why?" Sara said as they both took a sip of the water._

" _No." She smiled sinisterly at the two. "Because I killed me."_

" _Wha?" Dean said as he got up only to fall down, knocked out._

" _Dea…" Sara said as the roomed seemed to close in on her. She moved to touch her brother but she never did as she blacked out._

* * *

"So, Jed, Olivia, Drew-" Dean said counting down the hunters that were confirmed dead.

"Carl Bates and R. C. Adams and Riley." Bobby continued, "And more."

They were holed up in his panic room, 100% iron walls and every charm known to man written on the walls, roof, and floor. Sara was still asleep, a purple bruise starting to show on her temple, neither brother was sure when she would wake up so they left her with a wet rag on her forehead.

"What the hell's going on here, Bobby? Why would ghosts wanna gank off-duty hunters?

"I don't know.  
But until we find out, we're stuck in here."

"Not until what we found out what we need to find." Dean said, walking past Sam and towards the door.

"Dean…" Sam started then stopped when he saw his brother's face. Dean was seething with anger at the ghost who may or may have not killed their sister. "So, lets go."

"No, I am. You have to stay here to protect Bobby-" he pointed to the old hunter that was holding a rag to his nase that wouldn't stop bleeding. "And Sara." he pointed to the girl, who was looking very much nearly dead, limp and pale. Sam saw his point and let him go out with a shotgun with salt pellets.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Sara groaned as she woke up, very quickly she saw, and felt, that something was wrong. She tugged at her wrists and realized she was chained up. She instantly moved grab the knife she kept at the back of her waist. She fumbled with the fabric until she grasped at the knife, she slowly moved in up and down against the binds._

" _Sara and Dean Winchester. As you live and breath." the woman called from behind her._

 _She looked at his brother that looked as though he had been thoroughly beaten up and gagged. His right eye was swollen shut and various cuts and bruises were visible to Sara as well as cuts through his clothes told Sara there were more than what meet the her eyes.. His eyes were fuming._

" _You know you could have just called." Sara said._

" _Yeah but this is_ way _more fun." the woman purred as her eyes turned pitch black. "I'm guessing you got my present."_

" _You mean the man that got turned into a puddle? Yeah, real nice gift."_

" _I know. The second I took this meat bag he was just so annoying, asking if I was feeling well and if i wanted to take the day off and rest." the woman traced the edge of her hairline with a knife, covered in blood probably Dean's. "I just love your hair, it's all red and shiny. And your eyes, man I didn't know hazel could be so-" the woman stopped, "if it wasn't for that tattoo I would love to make you into a meat bag."_

" _Too bad." Sara snapped, ripping the ropes around her wrists. She jumped up and aimed to sink the knife into the demon's face. She hesitated, remembering the photo, and the demon smiled as she lunged at Sara._

* * *

Dean turned to the stairs as he saw his vengeful spirit. "Henriksen?" Dean looked up at him, knowing his death was on his hands. "Are you- Did you-"

"I didn't survive if that's what you're asking." the ghost stood up, visibly angry at Dean. the ghost's fists clenched his knuckles white.  
"I'm sorry."  
"I know you are."  
"Lo- if we'd known Lilith was coming-"

"You wouldn't have left innocent people in that police station to die in your place." the ghost said, "You did this to me. It was your fault. She came after you, and I paid the price. You left us there to die." the ghost ran at Dean and slammed him against the wall. Dean looked down at his hand that seemed to have a brand on it. Dean raised the shotgun and pulled the trigger.

* * *

 ****

 **Sara groaned, she sluggishly pulled up her hand, gingerly touching her temple. She knew without opening her eyes that she was sporting a nasty bruise on her head. "How you feeling?" Sma said, rushing to her side. Sara opened her eyes then squinted in the unwanted light. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Sam said helping his sister stand up. He handed her a glass of water and she took it gratefully.**

"None." she said, before taking a long drink of water. "God, I feel like I got hit with a brick wall."

"Well, you did get slammed against one."

"Yeah." she said as the iron door opened. Dean came in, panting.  
"Henriksen." He managed to get out between breaths.

"What happened while I was asleep?" Sara said, a fierce look in her eyes as she looked at the three men.

"A lot." Bobby admitted as they started to tell her what happened.

"Well?" Sara said, turning to Dean after they explained what had happened. "What did he want?"

"Revenge."  
"Because we got him killed." Sara muttered as she turned to the book she had open in her hand. She was looking up the types of Ghosts none matched the power and abilities what these ghost had.  
"Sara-" Sma started, Sara always felt guilty when someone died when they could have saved them.  
"Well, we did, Sam. All right?" We could have stayed behind and made sure no demon came after them. But we didn't. We left them defenseless. We-"  
"Stop right there." Dean said, turning his eyes from the ground to his sister's face. He flinched slightly when he saw the nasty bruise. Which person they couldn't save did that? "Whatever's going on, it's happening to us. So if you're not thinking answers, don't think at all." Dean got up. "Come on Sam, let's find out how to get rid of these ghosts." He grabbed two shotguns and threw one at his brother. They quickly stepped out of the panic room and they went out, shotguns lifted.

* * *

 _Flashback_

" _You stupid Winchester. I'm getting tired of having the duty of killing you." the demon said as she flung Sara against the wall, like a doll._

" _You mean trying to kill us." Sara spat out, struggling against the invisible bonds that held her down._

 _The demon snapped her fingers, using her demonic powers to choke Sara._

" _Mommy?" the little girl timidly said, during the fight the girl must have opened the door to the basement. The demon grinned at Sara as she walked towards the child. Sara silently screamed, begging the little girl to run, run as fast and as far away as she could but her throat refused to work and she began to black out from the lack of oxygen. The last thing she saw was the demon smiling at the girl as she ran her finger's through the girl soft hair. The demon gripped the girl head and snapped the neck. Her vision went black but she heard Sam running down the stairs and she fell, the force that held her to the wall died with the demon._

* * *

"Sam Winchester." a voice called from behind Sam and he whirled around bringing the shotgun up. The ghost pouted, "You don't recognize me? This is what I looked like before that demon cut my hair and dressed me like a slut."  
"Meg?" Sam said, realization dawning on his face.

"Hi." the ghost said smiling at Sam.  
"It's okay." Sam pulled up the shotgun, aiming for her face. "I'm not a demon." ghost said, pulling her hands up in a mock surrender.  
"You're the girl the demon possessed."  
"Meg Masters. Nice to finally talk to you when I'm not you know, choking on my own blood." the ghost stepped closer and Sam tensed.  
"It's okay. Seriously. I'm just a college girl. Sorry, was. I was walking home one night, got jumped by all this smoke. Next thing you know, I'm a prisoner in here." Meg tapped her forehead. "You know, I was awake. I had to watch while she murdered people."

"I'm sorry."  
"Oh, yeah? So sorry you had me thrown off a building?" the ghost's eyes flashed rage at Sam.

"Well, we thought-"

"No, you didn't think. I kept waiting, praying. I was trapped in there screaming at you, 'Just help me, please!' You're supposed to help people. Sam, why didn't you help me?"

"I'm sorry." Sam's voice cracked.  
"Stop saying you're sorry!" Meg screamed at him.

"We didn't know."  
"No. You just attacked. Did you ever think there was a girl in here? No, you just charged in, slashing and burning. You think you're some kind of hero?

"No. I don't." am said, shaking his head. Sure he saved people but most of the time someone had to die for them to know something was up.  
"Damn right. Do you have any idea what it's like to be ridden for months by pure evil while your family has no idea what happened to you?"

"We did the best we could."

"It wasn't just me, Sam. I had a sister. A little sister. She worshiped me. You know how little siblings are, right? How they'll do anything for you? She was never the same after I disappeared. She just-she just got lost. And when my body was lying in the morgue? Beat up, broken? "

"Meg." Sam's eyes were filled with morse.  
"Do you know what that did to her? She killed herself! Because of you, Sam. Because all you were thinking about was your family your revenge and your demons. Fifty words of Latin a little sooner, and I'd still be alive. My baby sister would still be alive. That blood is on your hands, Sam." Meg charged at him, pushing against the wall. Sam saw a burn mark on her hand he didn't think much of it, him being choked and all.

"You're right." Sam managed to choke out before the ghost before him disappeared, Dean was behind him his shotgun raised.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Sara looked at the scene, police swarmed the house. They had made up the story of a report being filed of a girl screaming so she and her partner had showed up investigate, they were drugged and going to be killed when the girl tried to stop her mother, the girl was killed because of it. And when they were about to die, another agent showed up and stopped her._

 _Sara shook her head when she thought about the girl. Then about her brother, he now had no mother, no father, and no sister. As she walked toward the Impala._

" _Sara." Dean started, he had watched the whole thing. He knew that Sara blamed herself for the entire thing._

" _Just-" Sara sighed. "I need to be alone right now."_

* * *

"So they're all people we know?" Sara said when they told her who the other ghost was.

"Not just know. People we couldn't save." Dean said, glancing at his sister.  
Sam looked thoughtful for a second before saying "I saw something on Meg. Did she have a tattoo when she was alive?"

Sara squinting trying to remember. "I don't think so."  
"Like a mark on her hand. Almost like a brand."  
"I saw a mark too, on Henriksen." Dean said.  
"What did it look like?" Both Bobby and Sara said at the same time.

"Paper?" Sam asked, Bobby quickly handed him a pad of paper and a pen. "Thanks." he did a rough sketch of the symbol, he didn't know if it was looked entirely correct, he was being choked when he saw it.  
"That's it."  
I may have seen this before." Bobby murmured as he turned to the same stack of books he had in the panic room.  
"This is why I can't get behind God." Dean said, turning to Sara who raised her eyebrows at him.  
"What are you talking about?"

"If he doesn't exist, fine. Bad crap happens to good people, that's how it is. And no rhyme or reason, just random, horrible, evil. I get it."  
"Okay?" her hazel eyes were puzzled, what was Dean talking about.

"I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he while these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself, you know? Why doesn't he help? "

Sara looked at Sam, who turned around "I ain't touching this one with a 10-foot pole."

"Dean, maybe He is busy. Like from saving people from something really bad. quantity over quality. Saving the whole of the world than just a few good people." Sara said, she wasn't convinced by her argument and Dean didn't seem so either.

"Found it." Bobby said, Sara looked at him gratefully, he just saved him from something she really didn't want happen.  
"What?" Dean said, looking at the book Bobby set down on the table.

"The symbol you saw. The brand on the ghosts."  
"Mark of the Witness." she murmured, translating the dead language.

"What you learned another language?" Dean turned to his sister, what else had changed while he was gone.

Sara grinned, "Had to do something to pass the time."  
"Witness? Witness to what?" Sam said, turning back to the book.

"The unnatural. None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts, they were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They're like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone rose them on purpose." Bobby explained to the younger hunters.  
"Who?" Dean said, it almost sounded like a demand.

Bobby rolled his eyes at him. "Do I look like I know? But whoever it was used a spell so powerful it left a mark. A brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called the Rising of the Witnesses. It figures into an ancient prophecy." Bobby said turning to another page.  
"Wait, wait." Sara interrupted Bobby, her head wound seemed to have slowed down her through process. "What book is that prophecy from?"

"Well, the widely distributed version's just for tourists, you know. But long story short: Revelations. This is a sign, boys."  
"A sign of what?" Sam said, his brow furrowed as he tried to translate the page of the book.

"The apocalypse."  
Sara blinked. "Apocalypse." she repeated.  
"Yep." Bobby said, closing the book. He didn't want Sam to burn out his brain.  
"As in "apocalypse" apocalypse? The four horsemen, pestilence $5-a-gallon-gas apocalypse?" Dean said.

"That's the one." Bobby nodded. "The Rise of the Witnesses is a mile marker."  
"Okay." Sara said slowly. "So, what do we do now?"

"Pfft." Dean said, as though the answer was obvious. "Road trip."  
"Yeah, right."  
"Grand Canyon, Star Trek Experience, BunnyRanch." Dean grinned at the last one.  
"First things first. How about we survive our buddy's out there?" Bobby said, reaching for another book.

"Great idea." Sara rolled her eyes. "Any ideas, aside from staying in this room until Judgment Day?"

"As a matter of fact I do." Bobby said, opening the old book, it's spine cracking, making all four wince. "It's a spell to send the witnesses back to rest. Should work." Bobby fingered through the book, translating under his breath as he read it.  
"'Should'? Ha." Dean fixed Bobby with a look.  
"Great." Sam muttered.  
"If I translated correctly. I think I got everything we need here at the house." key word house not room.

Sara sighed, "Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?"

"So you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden? Spell's gotta be cast over an open fire."  
"Heh." Dean said, snapping his fingers. "Fireplace in the library."  
"Bingo."  
"It's just not as appealing as a ghost-proof panic room, you know?" Sara said as she gripped the shotgun Dean gave her.

"Cover each other, and aim careful." Dean said as he started to open the door.  
"Don't run out of ammo until I'm done, or they'll shred you."  
"Ready?" Dean said, they nodded and Dean swung open the door. As they made their way to the stairs, they looked up to see another ghost.

"Hey, Dean. You remember me?" the ghost grinned as Dean lower his shotgun.  
"Ronald? Huh? With the laser eyes? I wish I could say it's good to see you."  
"I am dead because of you. You were supposed to help me." the ghost's eyes blazed with fury as he was shot. The three glanced back at Bobby.  
He shrugged, "If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk." they headed the library and Sara made a boundary with salt. Bobby dropped the book on the table and snapped his fingers at Sam.  
"Upstairs. Linen closet. Red hex box. It'll be heavy."  
"Got it." Sam nodded, crossing the salt line and running towards the stairs.  
"Bobby." Dean said, he wanted to help, not stand around while his brother was risking his life.  
Kitchen. Cutlery drawer. It's got a false bottom. Hemlock, opium, wormwood.  
Dean nodded then paused "Opium?" he grinned.

"Go." Sara snapped at his brother.  
Two ghost appeared outside the salt line. "Bobby. You walked right by us while that monster ate us all up. You could've saved us." Bobby paused but didn't look up. Sara shot the ghosts and cocked the shotgun again.  
The divider between the kitchen and library snapped shut.

"Dean?" Sara said, raising her gun.

"I'm all right. Keep working." came his short reply. Sara turned to the fire place, and quickly started a fire.  
After a minute or two Sam and Dean walked in, running over the salt line as fast as they could.  
"Uhn! Ronald." Sara said, aiming at the ghost, she pulled the trigger then cursed, she was out of bullets. She flung the gun down and picked up the iron poker from the fireplace. "Hey, come on, man. I thought we were pals." she said, looking at the ghost sadly.  
"That's when I was breathing. Now I'm gonna eat you alive."

Sara let out a soft chuckle. "Well...come on. I'm not a cheeseburger." She said as she lunged toward the ghost, he disappeared. The windows slammed open, the ghost were conjuring up a wind storm to weaken the salt line.

That's when the girl appeared, from that hunt years ago. Both Sam and Dean looked at Sara. Their sister looked so small, so guilt-ridden. "I'm so sorry."

The girl strode across the now broken salt line. She plunged her hand into Sara's chest. "I died for you. I realize now that was a mistake. You're not a hero, you're nothing but a wannabe hunter. You kill more people than you save."

"I know." Sara said as she fell to the ground.  
"Sara!" Sam strode over to his sister, hitting the ghost with the iron bar he ha in his hand - "Sam!" Dean yelled at his brother. "Cover Bobby!" Dean was flung against the room.  
Bobby screamed as a ghost behind him, shoved his hand in his chest. "Fireplace." Bobby made out. Sam acted fast, grabbing the bowl and flung it's contents into the fire. The fire turned blue and a wave from the spell pushed the ghost back and they disappeared.  
"Sara." Sam said, moving toward his sister. "Sara!" he said louder then he had something he was going to regret for the rest of his life. He slapped Sara, who woke up with a gasp.

"Dumb-ass." she muttered. "If I had a knife I would have skinned you alive." they all laughed at that, no doubt she would have done just that and worse to Sam.

* * *

"Sara." Dean said, it was the middle of the night and neither one could sleep.

"What is it Dean?"

"What that girl said to you… it wasn't true."

"Her name was Emma. she died as I watched, as her mother watched in her trapped body. I could've saved her Dean." Sara said as a defiant tear made it's way down her cheek.

"Sar-" he started as a rustle of feathers came through and Castiel was standing beside them. Castiel appeared way too close to Sara and she yelped and punched him in the face. Castiel looked at her, almost amused with her attempt to harm her.  
"Excellent job with the witnesses." he said, nodding his head to the two  
"You were hip to all this?"

"I was, uh, made aware." If angels could look even remotely  
"Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance. You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest. And she-" Deen pointed a finger to Sara. "She nearly died… twice."  
"But you didn't. And the prophet didn't die."

"Wait? Did you just call me a prophet?" Sara said, what Castiel said just barely sinking into her head.

"Would you rather me call you Seer?" the angel tilted his head to the side slightly. "You did not know. You are the next prophet of God."

"Woah. I did not sign up for that."

"You didn't, it was intertwined in your destiny when your soul was created."

"Well, then un-intertwine it!" Sara yelled at the angel, who stood impassive.

"I cannot."

"Then who can?!" she crossed the distance between them and pulled his head closer to his. He reached out to the bruise on her temple and lightly tapped it. She released the angel "What did you just do to me?" her words slurred together as she fell down. Castiel caught her and laid her on the couch.

"What did you just do to my sister?" Dean demanded.

"I awakened her powers. And healed her bruise. Humans are so much weaker than I imaged." Castiel said, standing up to his full height.  
"I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos... You know, Michael Landon. Not dicks." he said as he reached out to touch his sister's forehead.  
"Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier."  
"Yeah? Then why didn't you fight?" Dean glared up at the angel.

"I'm not here to perch on your shoulder. We had larger concerns."  
"Concerns?" There were people getting torn to shreds down here. And by the way, while all this is going on where the hell is your boss, huh, if there is a God?"

"There's a God." Castiel said, Dean waited for more but Castiel stayed silent.  
"I'm not convinced. Because if there's a God, what the hell is he waiting for? Genocide? Monsters roaming the earth? The freaking apocalypse? At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards stuck down here?"

"The Lord works-" Castiel started.

"If you say "mysterious ways," so help me, I will kick your ass."  
"So Bobby was right about the witnesses? Was this some kind of a sign of the apocalypse?"

Castiel nodded, "That's why we're here. That's why we saved you and awakened the Prophet." he glanced at the unconscious girl. "Big things afoot."  
"Do I wanna know what kind of things?"

"I sincerely doubt it, but you need to know. The Rising of the Witnesses is one of the 66 seals."  
"I'm guessing that's not a show at SeaWorld."  
"Those seals are being broken by Lilith." Dean's eyes snapped wide as Castiel spoke the familiar demon's name.  
"She did the spell, she rose the witnesses?"

"Mm-hm. And not just here. Twenty other hunters are dead."  
"Of course. She picked victims the hunters couldn't save. So that they would barrel right after us." he said, after thinking for a while.  
"Lilith has a certain sense of humor." Castiel admitted as he leaned against the wall. The shadows covered his eyes but the rest of him stood in moonlight.  
"We put those spirits back to rest."  
"Doesn't matter. The seal was broken."  
"Why break the seal, anyway?"

"You think of the seals as locks on a door."  
"Okay. that doesn't sound good. Last one opens and?"

"Lucifer walks free."  
"Lucifer? I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school. There's no such thing." Dean shook his head.  
"Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me. Why do you think we're here, walking among you now for the first time in 2000 years? To stop Lucifer. It's why we've arrived."  
"Well, bang-up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses."  
"We tried. There are other battles. Other seals. Some we'll win, some we'll lose. This one we lost. Our numbers are not unlimited. Six of my brothers died in the field this week." Castiel moved closer to Dean, "You think the armies of heaven should just follow you around? There's a bigger picture here. You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of hell. I can throw you back in." Castiel vanished with a rustle of feathers leaving Dean alone.

"Just when I thought everything could go back to normal," Dean muttered as he walked towards his room. "I realize there is no such thing as normal."

 **I hope you like! this was a really fun chapter to rewrite!** **especially** **the flashbacks. that was fun (but the story was not)** **please** **review and tell me how much you liked this story! (I know I did)**


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